El goteo de gente en las inmediaciones del Palacio Euskalduna cuando rondaban las nueve de la noche era incesante. Todo hacía prever un evento a la altura de los más grandes en una fecha muy señalada. No en vano, ayer se cumplían trece años y medio de la inauguración del palacio de congresos bilbaíno. Y lo festejó con uno de los artistas de más renombre internacional: Julio Iglesias, un hombre récord.

La de ayer fue una jornada de lujo en todos los sentidos. El público lució sus mejores galas veraniegas y el recinto bilbaíno batió el récord de recaudación. La expectación fue máxima desde el primer momento, como demostraron las colas por la pole position en los dos carteles situados a la entrada que anunciaban el concierto. Nadie quería volver a casa sin un recuerdo de tal señalada cita, y qué mejor manera que hacerlo posando al lado -aunque fuera de papel- con el artista latino que más álbumes ha vendido en la historia.

Tres auditorios del Estado han visto actuar este año el artista español. El Liceo de Barcelona, la Ciudad de las Artes de Valencia y el Palacio Euskalduna de Bilbao. Ha sido en la capital vizcaína donde, en una única sesión, se ha logrado la máxima recaudación. Sin duda, termómetro del fervor que despierta el artista madrileño más internacional.

Lo cierto es que este artista y truhán despierta pasiones en todo el mundo. Así lo corroboran sus seguidores, llegados a la capital vizcaína de todos los puntos del Estado.

Lo que está claro es que desde que saltó a la fama con aquel La vida sigue igual en el Festival de Benidorm de 1968, Julio Iglesias resultó ser, además de cantante, un visionario porque para él nada ha cambiado. Sigue teniendo el mismo éxito que cuando empezó a despuntar en la música. Por eso ha logrado convertirse en un mito a nivel internacional, con unos fieles seguidores que nunca le han dado la espalda.

When you've sold more than 300 million records worldwide, you can afford to uncork the odd £800 bottle of red wine - as Julio Iglesias does when HELLO! visits him at his home in Marbella.

Splitting his time between this sprawling hill-top estate and an equally stylish pad in Miami, his main home, the Spanish crooner lives with his second wife, Dutch model Miranda Rijnsburger, mother of his five younger children, aged from five to 14. He also has three grown-up children - including pop star sons Enrique and Julio Jr - from his first marriage, to Isabel Preysler.

A former goalkeeper for Real Madrid, Julio only got involved in music after a car accident ended his sporting career. Now, as he approaches his 69th birthday, he is celebrating with his album, 1, a re-recording of 32 of his early songs. 

When I started singing I was more a writer than a performer, but crooners tend to get better with age, so I decided to do this.

I was only thinking about surviving after my accident, not happiness. Now I have an incredible family, I do concerts everywhere from Finland to China and the only thing that's different is I don't run up steps like I used to.

You have a real reputation as a ladies' man...

I learned a lot from women. I like the smell of women, I like the feel of women, I like the sense of generosity of women; I love the love of a woman and because I was a singer, beautiful girls look at you. But I never abused it I've had eight kids, which must mean I really love women. You can't have kids if you're a playboy. I'm not a playboy. I never played with women. I loved women.

I was not that guy. I remember waking up in London one day and my manager sent me up a newspaper with something about me and 3,000 women. That's not a true story. I've had a lot of loves in my life, but millions of people have had more.

Oh, for sure! I wouldn't have written the songs that I wrote if not. I've never been a nice-looking guy.

I was always skinny, but I was able to get to people through my spirit You don't have to be top of the class to become president of the country.

And the tiny ones! They play guitar like you wouldn't believe. Incredible.

I don't mind. He's an amazing artist, a champion and my son. It's in the genes. When I see Enrique and we kiss each other, I see brightness in him. If they call me the father of Enrique, I'm happy.

When you're in Miami, do you hang out with fellow Latinos such as Ricky Martin and Gloria Estefan? 

With Gloria, a little. We don't have dinner every week, but I see her and her husband [Emilio]. But Ricky's like my son. When he was young he used to come and see my concerts. Maybe I was the first Latino artist in history who became global and it's not like they want to be Julio Iglesias, but they saw that if I can do it, they can do it

No. I bet I've only been to three or four in the last 30 years and they would have been industry parties, like the Grammys or the Oscars.

I prefer to have a party at home with my kids.

No, I get happy. I love red wine but I have never got drunk in my life.

I don't want to lose control. And I didn't want to do anything that would affect my throat.

It happens to so many people, not just famous ones. It's a sickness and if it gets out of control you can kill yourself. I really loved Michael. He once lived in my house for a month making an album and when I heard that he was going to do the 50 shows in England, I thought he'd gone crazy. He had a good family: they loved him and he loved them. But I'm not anyone to judge anything but my own life.